The Beer Nut: New beers, new books

I just got back from a week’s vacation, so that means it’s time to empty the inbox of beer news and give you a mixed pack of fresh information.

First off, those of you who seek out hard-to-get beers need to set your calendars. Founders Brewing Company has announced that its amazingly popular Kentucky Breakfast Stout will be making its return on April 1.

Although I doubt I’ll be fighting the crowds to get my hands on this beer, I will say it is one of my all-time favorite imperial stouts. This beer is brewed with coffee and chocolate and aged for more than a year in oak bourbon barrels. It is phenomenal. If you want it, you’ll probably need to get it that first day or you won’t be able to get it again until next year.

Another new beer to keep an eye out for is the brand-new Goose Island beer, the Illinois.

The Illinois (named for a Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper designed to be built in Chicago, but never constructed) is the first of three new beers in the Goose Island Imperial Series.

The Illinois is an imperial India pale ale, weighing in at 9 percent alcohol by volume. This beer will be released in four-packs beginning Feb. 24.

A beer that is already on the shelf that you can try right now is the brand-new Stochasticity Project’s Grapefruit Slam IPA.

The Stochasticity Project, in the beer world’s worst kept secret, is a side project by the Stone Brewing Company.

The beer is described as being a “big bodied, yet refreshing India pale ale marrying hand-zested grapefruit peel with the inherit citrusy bitterness of Centennial hops from the fertile bines of Washington state.”

The Grapefruit Slam is supposed to be a one-time release, but, according to a press release, it’s the first of many new beers from the Stochasticity Project.

Coronado Brewing Company, a popular California brewery, has just debuted its beers in the Bay State. The available beers include Blue Bridge Coffee Stout, Idiot IPA, Orange Avenue Wit, Mermaid’s Red and Jurata Baltic Porter.

“Being in Massachusetts really puts us on the East Coast map,” said Coronado co-founder Rick Chapman. “But, we’re really excited to share our west coat hoppy brews with this important part of the U.S.”

Boston Beer Company (aka Samuel Adams) has released a new spring beer called Escape Route.

Escape Route is a Kolsh, which, the company says, has the “subtle fruit notes of an ale and smooth crispness of a lager for a bright, refreshing brew.”

Escape Route is brewed with pale malts and flaked barley, along with Alsatian Strisselpalt and Aramis hops.

And there’s one more beer to keep an eye out for – Full Sail Brewing’s 2014 Vintage Bourbon Aged Imperial Stout.

This is a full-bodied beer with tons of bourbon flavor (at least past versions were, I haven’t tried the latest). The latest version was brewed in December 2012 and has been aged in bourbon casks from Heaven Hill, Four Roses and Maker’s Mark. The 9.84 percent ABV imperial stout should be in stores soon.

If you follow my blog, you’ll know I’m a big supporter of mixed 12-packs of beer. Now, Paulaner, an excellent German brewery, has taken it to another level with an announcement that it will be releasing a mixed six-pack.

Each six-pack will feature different Paulaner beers, such as the Hefe Weizen, the Original Munich Premium Lager and the Salvator Double bock. The six-pack will constantly be changing, so each time someone buys it, they may get different beers.

The variety six packs will be available beginning next month.

Finally, for those who like to read about beer, two new beer books will be hitting shelves in March.

“Homebrew Beyond the Basics” by Mike Karnowski, is designed for homebrewers who want to take the next step in brewing.

“Beer: What to Drink Next,” by Michael Larson, features a “Periodic Table of Beer,” which helps organize beers into 90 different styles by ingredients or countries of origin. I have a copy on my desk and I’m looking forward to taking a look at it soon.

Email Norman Miller at nmiller@wickedlocal.com or call 508-626-3823. Check out the Beer Nut blog at blogs.wickedlocal.com/beernut. Follow him on Twitter at @realbeernut. Also check out “Norman Miller, The Beer Nut” on Facebook.